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White chocolate cheesecake

Life-changing.

The words used to describe a cheesecake from my favorite restaurantin Athens, Georgia.

For those of you that don't know, I am a proud alumna of the University of Georgia located in Athens. I spent some of the best years of my life there. Life made that much better because my sister, Jenny, soon followed me to UGA. Jenny and I are two years apart and seriously the best of friends. We're those weird sisters that never fight and never get tired of each other. I don't know what I'd do without her! (Love you, Jenny!)On Jenny's first birthday at UGA, I took her to Last Resort Grillfor dinner. Man, I love that place. Their salmon & grits are amaaaazing! Anyways, once it came time for dessert, we decided to order one thing to share. We asked the waiter for a recommendation because we are an extremely indecisive duo. He said, "Get the White Chocolate Cheesecake. It's life-changing." I have to admit, Jenny and I we're a little skeptical of this bold statement, but we ordered it to find out.One bite. Life changed. Dude totally knew what he was talking about.

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Going to Last Resort for our birthdays became a tradition and we always got that dang cheesecake.Now, I'm here in LA and Jenny is out in Colorado, an officer in the Army. Life has taken us in different directions but we're still as close as ever and we still dream about Last Resort's White Chocolate Cheesecake.Two weekends ago, I went to visit Jenny for a weekend. Since it was a midpoint between our birthdays, we planned to recreate our beloved cheesecake to celebrate. We had a great time in the kitchen & it was torture waiting for the cheesecake to chill & set.Then came the moment of truth. First bites. Looks. Smiles. Even better than we remembered!Please make this cheesecake and share it with your family & friends. We all deserve a life-changing dessert every now and then.White Chocolate Cheesecakemakes one 9-inch cheesecakePrinter-Friendly Version

Combine chocolate cookie crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl. In a 9-inch springform pan, press cookie mixture into the bottom and up the sides about 1 1/2 inches. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

For the Cheesecake:Reduce oven to 325 degrees F. Place cooled pan on a couple large squares of aluminum foil. Wrap foil up the sides of the pan to waterproof.

Place the chopped white chocolate into a heat safe bowl and set aside. In a small sauce pan over medium heat, bring heavy cream to a simmer. Pour hot cream over the white chocolate, making sure the chocolate is completely covered. Let stand for one minute then gently stir the chocolate until completely melted.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in sugar and beat well, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Slowly add the white chocolate mixture. Once combined, reduce mixer speed to low and add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and salt.

Pour cheesecake batter into the prepared pan.

Set the cheesecake pan into a large roasting or baking pan and place it in the oven. Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan, filling it about one inch high (be careful not to go over the aluminum foil). Bake for one hour. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for one more hour, until the center is just set (when you gently shake the pan, the center should be jiggly).Remove cheesecake from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight).

For the White Chocolate Ganache:Place the chopped white chocolate into a heat safe bowl and set aside. In a small sauce pan over medium heat, bring heavy cream to a simmer. Pour hot cream over the white chocolate, making sure the chocolate is completely covered. Let stand for one minute then gently stir the chocolate until completely melted. Let sit until it reaches desired consistency (it will thicken as it cools).

Pour over top of the chilled cheesecake. Serve & enjoy!

*NOTES:- I used about 10 Oreo 100-calorie packs for the crust.- The chocolate cookie crumbs can be made with a food processor or by placing the cookies in a plastic bag and crushing with a rolling pin or other heavy object.- To store, keep the cheesecake in the refrigerator.